Equalizing draft-gear for railway-cars.



E. A. NIX & E. C. RODDIE.

EQUALIZING DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1914.

Patented J 11116 22, 1915.

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EDWARD A. NIX, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, AND EUGENE G. RODDIE, 0F NEW'ORLEANS,

LOUISIANA.

EQUALIZING DRAFT-GEAR FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed June 12, 1914. Serial No. 844,821.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EDWARD A. NIX and EUGENE O. Romain, citizens of the United States, residing at Memphis, Tennessee, and at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State 'of Louisiana, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Equalizing Draft-Gear for Rail way-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in draft gearing for rallway cars.

One object of this invention is the provision ofa gearing such as described whlch will extend the entire length of the car thereby bracing the same and protect ng it from shocks caused .by concussion of the draw bars in coupling a train of cars.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a draft gearing comprising a pair of oppositely disposed draw bars, having a series of bars connected thereto for slidable engagement between the sills of the car frame, the inner of the seriesof bars being connected to intermediate links for sliding engagement with the transverse bars,

also mounted in said sills, the inner endsof each set of links being in close prox mity and in thepath of movement of the lnner ends of the adjacent bars which are connected to the draw bars, whereby upon movement of either draw bar the same is cushioned by a plurality of sprmgs con nected with the transverse bars which pass through the sliding bars and links A further object of this invention is the provision of a draw bar having a sectional stem adapted to relieve the same of strain caused by concussion of the draw bars while cars are being coupled.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a draft gearing'such as described which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable andeficient in use, and readily operated.

With the above and other objects. in view this invention resides in the novel features of construction, formations, combinations .to receive the connecting and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of our improved draft gearing, Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof, and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through the intermediate portion of the draft gearing.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by similar characters of reference through the several views, the numeral 5 designates generally our improved draft gearing, which consists of a pair of spaced longitudinally extending parallel sills 6, constructed preferably from I-beams as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. These sills 6' are suitably connected in order that they may be retained in their spaced parallel relation. Oppositely disposed draw bars 7 are mounted for longitudinal movement between the said sills 6 and project beyond the opposite ends thereof. These draw bars 7 are provided with the usual stems 8, consisting of a plurality of sections 9, movably united as shown at 10 by the short cross bars 11 slidably located in the longitudinal slots 12 formed in the sides of said sills 6.

The inner terminals of the stems 8, are formed with horizontal slots 13 designed pins 14.- which pass through the adjacent outer ends of the connecting links 15 and 16. These links 15 and 16 are slotted as at 17 to receive the central transverse cross bars 18 which pass through the slots 19 formed intermediate the ends of thesills 6. These last mentioned cross bars 18 have detachably connected thereto ter minal caps 20 which are socketed at their confronting ends as at 21- to support the springs 22 which yieldingly hold said caps and bars 18 in their spacedrelation in contact with the adjacent ends of the slots 19.

The inner sections of the stems 8 are slotted as at 23 for the reception of the'outer cross bars 24 which pass through slots 25 formed in the sills 7 between the slots 19 and said slots-12. These outer cross bars 24:

COPY

like the before described central cross bars 18 have caps 26 removably connected thereto and corresponding to the caps 20 and like the latter, these caps 26 are socketed as 27 to receive the springs 28 which normally hold said cross bars 24 in their spaced relation in contact with the ends of slots 25.

Any suitable means may be employed to retain the short cross bars 11 against displacement, and also to retain the caps 20 and 26wupon the central and outer cross bars 18 and 24:, respectively. p

In operation, the sectional stems of the draw bars 7 permit of a slight yielding movement which removes all strain therefrom, consequently preventing any injury caused by constant shocks, while the train is in motion as in starting and stopping the same. L

In coupling cars when customary pressure is exerted upon the draw bar 7 at one end of the draft gearing, the adjacent stem 8 moves inwardly until the end of the slot 23 formed therein engages the adjacent cross bar 26 which moves the latter inwardly against tension of the springs 28 until one of the links 15 or 16 carried thereby contacts with the adjacent end of the next stem 8 which obviously moves the last mentioned stem inwardly against its tensioning springs 28. It will thus be seen that the shock is absorbed through. the entire length of the car, greatly relieving the strain upon all parts thereof.

When a series of cars are coupled and when it is desired to couple an additional car thereto, the shock of coupling this additional car will impart a longitudinal movethem of the adjacent draw bar 8 between the sills 6, obviously moving the bars 10 connected thereto inwardly. This movement is first cushioned by the springs 28 and then through the medium of the links 15 and 16 the springs 22 are brought into cushioning action. Ls the draw bar 8 moves inwardly the opposite ends of the links will engage the adjacent ends of the opposite bars 10 connected, to the draw bar 8 at the opposite end of the sills 6 from whence the cushioning movement will be transferred to the draft gearing upon the adjacent car, obviously relieving the cars from all strain caused during this coupling action.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that a draft gearing as provided which will fulfil all the necessary requirements or such a device.

It should be understood in this connection that various minor changes the specific details of construction can be resorted within the scope of the appended claims .without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described this invention what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is p 1. In a draft gearing, a pair of spaced sills provided With sets of alining slots at the ends thereof, draw bars mounted between said sills at the ends of the same, a series of sliding bars mounted between the sills at each end thereof, a cross bar connecting the outermost bar of each series to the respective draw bar and having its ends mounted in the outermost slots at the respective ends of the sills, a cross bar connecting the innermost bar of each series with the outermost bar of the respective series and extending through corresponding alining slots at the respective ends of the sills, a pair of longer cross bars extending through each innermost bar of each series and through the respective alining slots of the sills, a cushioning connection between each pair of said longer bars and arranged exteriorly of the sills, a pair of links connected to the inner end of the innermost bar of each series of bars with a pair of links of one series overlapping a pair of links of the other series, cross bars extending through the pairs of links and through the intermediate opening in the sills, and cushioning means between said latter bars.

2. In a draft gearing, a pair of spaced sills, draw bars slidable between the ends of the sills, coupling members carried by the draw bars, a separate series of sliding bars mounted in said sills, one series at each end thereof, one series of bars being connected at the outer end thereof to the respective draw bar, transversely disposed bars arranged in pairs and passing through the innermost one of the sliding bars of each series and through the sills, springs interposed between each pair of transverse bars, a pair of links connected to each of the innermost one of the series of sliding bars, said pairs of links being slidable relative to each other, an additional or inner set of trans verse bars passing through each pair of links, each of said additional inner pairs of said bars being movable with one pair of links and movable independently of the opposits pair of links, and springs disposed between the additional pair of tra'nsverse bars. 3. -in a draft gearing, a pair of spaced sills, draw bars slidable between said sills at the opposite ends thereof, a series of sliding bars mounted between the sills at each end thereof with the outermost bar of each series connected to the inner end of the respective draw bar, transversely disposed bars arranged in pairs and passing thrcughthe innermost one of the sliding bars of each series thereof, springs interposed between the In testimony whereof we have aflixed our transverse bars, links connected to the innersignatures in presence of two witnesses.

most bar of each series and arranged in EDWARD A. NIX: pairs, each pair being slidable relative to the EUGENE C. RODDIE. 5 other, an additional inner set of transverse Witnesses to signature of Edward A. Nix:

bars passing through said links, each of said W. S. DAWKINS, additional bars'being secured to one pair of J. P. PENTECOST.

links and slidable relative to the opposite Witnesses to signature of Eugene C. Rodpair of links, and springs interposed bedie: 10 tween the said additional or inner pair-cf CHESTER W. BROWN,

transverse bars. H. J. LEDOUS. 

